


The lady doth protest

by thegirl20



Category: Firefly
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-29
Updated: 2013-01-29
Packaged: 2017-11-27 10:09:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/660751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegirl20/pseuds/thegirl20
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zoe and Inara talk about men.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The lady doth protest

Inara looked up from her writing at a knocking on her door. She was mildly surprised to see Zoe’s head appear around the curtain. She had expected it to be the surly captain come to harass her. She smiled and stood.  
  
“Zoe, come in.”  
  
“Thanks.”  
  
The tall warrior stepped into the shuttle and accepted the offer of a seat. Inara took the couch opposite.  
  
“So, you settlin’ in OK?”  
  
Inara nodded.  
  
“Thank you, yes. I think I’ve just about got it looking the way I want it. A few touches here and there and I’ll be done. Kaylee has been a great help.”  
  
“Seems like you two’ve really hit it off.”  
  
Inara smiled the first truly genuine smile Zoe’d seen on her face since meeting her.  
  
“She’s a darling. It’s refreshing to meet someone so free of cynicism.”  
  
“She’s young, give her time.” Zoe said, leaning back against the plump cushions.  
  
“I hope she stays that way for a long while yet.” Inara said, seriously.  
  
“I hope she gets the chance. Ain’t always the way, out here.” Zoe replied, her gaze not wavering from Inara’s.  
  
Inara looked away.  
  
“Would you like some tea?”  
  
“Not much of a tea drinker. Truth be told, I came in here to get away from that feng-le pilot. You mind if I just set a while? He’s bound to get bored lookin’ for me soon.”  
  
Inara laughed.  
  
“Yes, he is rather dogged in his pursuit of you, isn’t he? I think it’s sweet, he’s obviously very taken with you.”  
  
Zoe snorted.  
  
“Touched in the head is what he is.”   
  
Inara stood and went to a small cupboard which she opened. When she turned back, Zoe saw that she was holding a bottle and two glasses. Inara came back and sat down, handing the bottle to Zoe and placing the glasses on the table between them. Zoe glanced at the label and then at Inara.  
  
“This is good stuff. You sure you want to be drinkin’ it now?”  
  
Inara shrugged.  
  
“It was a gift from a client. We haven’t really had a chance to get to know one another yet and you’ve got man troubles. I say now is as good a time as any to open it.”  
  
Zoe smiled.  
  
“Well, OK then.”  
  
She cracked the seal and poured two glasses of the expensive whiskey. She handed one to Inara and held the other up in a toast.  
  
“Cheers.”  
  
*****  
  
Some time later, the bottle was half empty and Zoe’s mouth had become a lot slacker. Inara’s face was flushed and she was giggling as Zoe recounted another story about Wash.  
  
“I mean, last port we was in he brought me flowers. What am I s’posed to do with flowers? Man’s got more credits than sense. And that thing on his lip…”  
  
Inara laughed harder as Zoe ranted on.  
  
“…looks like a mouse crawled under his nose and died. The thing needs buryin’, not groomin’. And he’s so gorram vain about it. Thinks it makes him look good!”  
  
Inara calmed herself down enough to speak.  
  
“Methinks the lady doth protest too much.”  
  
Zoe looked at her, her eyebrows lowered in confusion.  
  
“Come again?”  
  
Inara grinned, her eyelids heavy with alcohol.  
  
“I think you like him.”  
  
Zoe narrowed her eyes, trying to focus.  
  
“Maybe you’re the one touched in the head. Ain’t you been listenin’ to a word I said?”  
  
“I’ve listened to every word you’ve said. And every word you’ve said all night has been related to Wash and how much he annoys you and how much you don’t like him.”  
  
“So where ‘xactly you getting’ this notion that I like him?”  
  
Inara smiled lazily.  
  
“I know about men. But I also know about women. Mark my words, you like him.”  
  
Zoe shook her head, her senses were fuzzier than she liked them being and Inara’s teasing made her uneasy. She placed her glass down on the table and stood up, unsteadily.  
  
“Well, thanks for the hospitality, but he’s probably in bed by now. I’m safe.”  
  
Inara stood also, leaning on the table to support herself.  
  
“I’ve enjoyed this evening. I’m glad we’ve had this chance to talk.”  
  
Zoe nodded.  
  
“Me too. But I best be gettin’ to my bunk. Cap’n’s got a job lined up for the mornin’.”  
  
“Ah, yes, we wouldn’t want to keep the good Captain waiting.”  
  
Zoe’s lips twisted up into a smile.  
  
“Reckon you’re protestin’ a bit much yourself there.”  
  
Inara’s face registered confusion, quickly followed by shock. She took a step backwards.  
  
“What? The Captain? I hardly think so…he’s…he’s uncivilized and ill-mannered and downright insulting to me.”  
  
Zoe raised her eyebrows.  
  
“Mmmhmm. Protestin’.”  
  
She turned and headed out of the shuttle, leaving Inara stuttering behind her. She headed down towards the crew quarters with a smile on her face which faded when she saw Wash standing in front of her. His usual dopey grin was in place but for some reason, it didn’t annoy her as much as usual. It had to be the whiskey. Powerful stuff.   
  
He walked towards her and she found herself appraising him, and she liked what she saw. In fact, she found her body reacting to the sight of him. She wracked her brain trying to remember all the reasons she couldn’t stand him, but she was coming up blank.  
  
“Evening ma’am. Are you by any chance in need of an escort to your bunk this fine starry night? I can guarantee a medium amount of talent in the sack, but a hundred per cent effort to make up for what’s lacking.”  
  
He grinned widely, expecting her usual gruff rebuttal. What he didn’t expect was to be grabbed by the front of his flightsuit and dragged behind her at pace.  
  
“Where we goin’?”  
  
“To your bunk.”  
  
“Seriously?”  
  
“Seriously. I’m drunk so you better take advantage of the fact that you’re startin’ to look kinda attractive to me.”  
  
He pushed her hand away from the front of his suit before taking it into his own and running down the corridor, pulling her along with him.  
  
“Well hurry up woman, before the alcohol wears off!”  
  
She grinned. Yep, there was definitely something about that man.


End file.
